


Have a little Faith

by TheFirstSeed



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Character Thoughts, F/M, Just a cute thingy, Okay but like Andy and Booker is kinda adorable fight me, Re-write of scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:36:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25417810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFirstSeed/pseuds/TheFirstSeed
Summary: Exploring Andy & Booker's feelings in the ending scene at the beach! +Continued onward to explore their feelings being separated
Relationships: Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Booker | Sebastien le Livre
Comments: 26
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this was meant to be a short dabble that turned into 1k words+. I *love* Andy x Celeste from the Pharmacy but also I feel that Andy & Booker had something going on as it is mentioned that Joe & Nicky had each other well Booker & Andy had each other, for different reasons. I feel the pair found comfort in each other from their grief.

"I'm gonna **miss you** " Andy had said from the depth from her heart. A comment that Booker clung too. He didn't know how to admit that he would miss her too. So much. He had wanted her to say it once more, in the language they shared with his eyes to hers but he knew she wouldn't say it again. Not there, not now. So instead he did the only thing that felt right between them, Booker closed the gap. Sucked in his breath and pulled her into his arms. Andy hadn't even questioned it, she too was thinking the same as him. They almost always were. It was what worked between them. 

Joe and Nicky had each other, they hide none of what happened between them. Invited anyone to share in the kindness, their hope, and their care. Reserving the special parts of their love for each other. It was that kind of care and kindness that drove Andy and Brooker together, the pair could drink and wallow in each other's self-pity and grief. They would get drunk, get angry, comfort one another in a way that often wouldn't have seemed like comfort to the outsider's eye but to them it was. All too often the pair had shared closeness in a bed when the others were away. Just between each other. They would tell themselves it was because they were drunk and grief sore. 

Misery loves company Brooker would always say to which Andy would always agree. Maybe that was why they were so driven to each other.

Booker's hand found the back of her head. He felt the edge of a tear on his cheek. He wouldn't mention it, wouldn't dare. Andy pressed herself close to him, dared this wouldn't be the last time they saw each other but the fear of her morality playing catch up on these thousands of years she had roamed the earth she couldn't let herself fell into the hope that they would meet again. At least not if she could keep to this promise, this deal of punishment that Brooker needed to see. She almost hadn't wanted to, almost wanted to just give in to Nile, let him have the apology and be done with it. Spend her time with the people who she had cared for and had cared for her. Yet it couldn't be so easy. Not after what he had done even for the reasons he had gone for. Brooker didn't want to let her go, he too feared the 100-year ban would be too long for Andy. 

Both could feel Joe, Nicky, and Nile's eyes on them. Separating and refusing to meet the other's eyes for just a moment. Just leave it on the physical closeness they had let themselves feel once more. Eventually, Booker meets her eyes, half-lidded, and focused on the ground. Slowly the rose to meet his. Andy, the warrior, always the warrior. The lead, always the leader. Her eyes were always so strong, so brave, so fearless, so hurt and broken. Today they didn't feel strong. Or Brave. Or Fearless. Just hurt. It left him so speechless, what was he supposed to say?

 _'I'm Sorry'_ no he had already said it, it had already been there on his tongue and she wouldn't have it

 _'I did it for you'_ he knew she wanted to punch him square in the face for that.

 _'We could be free'_ he should've known better, he had let himself fall too far into that pit. Fallen further than Andy, she always had something that forced her to keep her head above water. He always let himself drown.

 _'I need you to know how much I regret this'_ she already knows. Andy is the only one who really knows. Nile is a baby, she doesn't really understand. Nicky is too kind to show is pain. Joe is too headstrong not to show his pain.

 _'I should've done better'_ Andy knows this. He knows this. It changes nothing between them.

So in the end he is left with only a burning question that hurts him to say "I won't see you again" it isn't a question. But it is. It shouldn't be a question. But it is. To anyone else, it isn't a question. To Andy, it is a question. A question that leaves Booker's heart on the edge just hoping. Just begging her for one thing, just give him one strand of hope to cling back on to.

And Andy holds her breath.

He waits ...

And waits for a second more as her eyes leave his

Another second as she gives him the weakest smile he has ever see, punches him lightly to his ribs that he almost doesn't feel it.

He sees the knife wound his question makes and regrets even saying it.

Then Andy gives him, it is a weak smile but her voice is firm. "Have a **little faith Book** " her eyes raise to meet him. He lets out a breath he hadn't even remember holding. That was his string, his little slice of hope. Andy is scared of her mortality not that she would let them see, he had never thought she would be scared, and yet she is. She doesn't want this to be the last time she sees him, not like this. That he loves, he respects, he believes in. Whatever grief-struck mess they were, they were something she doesn't want to let go of if these are to be her last years.

Andy doesn't wait for his reply, Booker is almost glad for that. He wouldn't even know what to say. She leaves him there, gives him another look back but that is all. Booker stands there watching her leave, torn between begging at her knees once more or just accepting it.

In the end, there is little more to do then just accept what has to be. She gave him the touch of hope, this won't be the end for them just yet. He'll see Andy again. He'll make it up to her. For all the years that she gave him comfort for his wife, his sons, his home; for all the years he gave her comfort. This wouldn't be the last time. He just had to cling to that even if it wasn't a lot, to him it was special.

"Have a little faith" the words replay as he looks up to meet her. Of course, she doesn't look back. He has a feeling if she didn't he wouldn't have stayed still on the riverside. He'd have followed her. Andy really does know them better, that was the way she was always the leader. She was the natural leader without a question.

"Have a little faith" he tells himself out loud, wishing it was her voice replaying instead of his but it is enough. Faith he has to cling to even if grief is all that wants to burn inside him.


	2. The Asshole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Booker writes her a letter, or a couple of letters really, that leave Andy feeling a bit like shit on what she should do between breaking the 100-year ban to see him before she really does kill over or letting them both suffer so he can learn a lesson? Will that lesson even change anything to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No beta sorry! Some more love for these two still bitching about what happened and not seeing each other.

~~_To my love_ ~~

~~_To Andy_ ~~

~~_Dear Andy_ ~~

~~_My Beloved Andy_ ~~

~~_My bitch_ ~~

~~_Andromache_ ~~

_Nevermind I don't know how to start this letter, Andy. I don't know what to say or if you will even read this letter. What do I even have to say to you that you don't already know? I could keep saying I'm sorry but that is just useless isn't it?_

_are your wounds healing? Please tell me they are. Please be well Andy, please be feeling better Andy. Please be looking after yourself. I still feel shit for what I did to you, to all of you but mostly you. You should've told me, I'd have stopped, I wouldn't have shot you. I would have come clean about all of it Andy I promise I would have. I never wanted you to get hurt. Part of me doesn't care if Joe does, Nicky not so much he is too much of a good-boy for me to not feel guilty but you; I couldn't let you get hurt._

  
Andy has read the letter for the 50th time by now. His handwriting got messy by the end but she knows it is him even without him signing his name. She knows he probably didn't mean to send it, he was probably drunk when he not only wrote it but sent it. Andy had to give him some small smile, he knew what safe house they were staying at. Impressive. She really should have guessed he would know where they went first, to the world they weren't predictable and yet them? they were to each other. He knew where to find her every time he needed her. She knew where to find him whenever she needed him.

In his defense, he normally wasn't far from some tavern which always made her job easier.

Andy rested the paper letter down on her bedside table. She hadn't dared to let the others know that Booker had sent it to her. Not one but two others in the draw. Each time he hadn't left an address, no return to the sender's address. Andy couldn't tell why, every letter begged that she was okay, begged that she was healing, begged that she wasn't dead, yet he gave her no one to send one back. Maybe Booker expected she knew where he would go, maybe she really should know where he would go. Maybe she shouldn't be sitting here now on her bed. Laying back on the soft barely used mattress her head to the side following the birds outside her window.

She should be in France. Should have found him. He was going to drink himself near to death as an immortal could be. Worse than when they drunk together. Andy kept him to check, and he to her. When the drink was getting too much on both their tongues they knew to ditch it in favor of each other instead. In those rare moments between them and no one else. 

Booker was a good kisser Andy couldn't doubt that.

He was good in bed when they were both drunk Andy couldn't doubt that.

She could doubt herself a thousand times on what to do. Did she stay here? Nile needed guidance, Nile turned to her every few minutes to advise, for help, for another question. Yet Nile and Nicky barely left her side, paranoid any second she would drop dead in front of them. Joe wasn't quite as bad under her skin and yet he still was hovering.

What if she did die right there? Her last moments with Booker would've been their hug on the beach. That slim moment of physical closeness stolen away from them. They wouldn't dare do anything more with the others watching. 

They weren't a thing like Nicky and Joe. They were never a thing so to say. Andy didn't know what they were.

Misery loves company. They were both miserable. They needed company. They had each other for small moments of safety. Where the grief stopped, where no one else was involved. His wife wasn't there in the back of his mind. His sons were there in the back of his minds. Quynh wasn't at the back of hers. 

But those moments really were short-lived between them. 

Andy closed her eyes, breathed out slowly. She pulled herself up the bed and curled to her side looking at the letters on the bedside table. Crumpled and slightly torn. It was clear the effort he had put into them, the times he had scribbled something out, and started again. 

They hadn't written letters like this before. Booker had shown her writing as no one else had, he made her write yet he never made her write letters to him. He didn't bother before now writing them to her, content waiting three months, three years till he next found her or she had found him. Three months seemed too long now, far too long. She couldn't decide if it was too fast or too slow. 

It seemed time was running away on her now, every day was coming closer to her death and yet it was taking forever still. Each day felt long, each day without Booker's dark jokes was painful. Nile did try his humor but it wasn't the same, hers was so? Modern? Booker could at least make jokes that she could at least understand from centuries she could understand. Nile had these edited photographs on her phone she called 'memes' that she would laugh at all the times that Andy just couldn't understand. Nicky somehow understood them, or maybe he faked it for Nile. Joe just liked the cat ones, admittedly Andy liked them too. But it wasn't the same, she might as well have been wandering the world as a nomad again without Booker for a month till they would reunite for a few days.

He should have sent her chocolate in one of these letters. He always made an excuse to get her some when they would catch him. 

Andy rolled over onto her back put her hands to her face and signed loudly. "Book what are you doing" she mumbled under her breath. Should she just give him, go find him? What if he was hurt. What if he was going to be hurt. Why did she have to worry about him so much? He was supposed to be her right-hand man, he was supposed to be her go-too, the one she could rely on to back her up.

That was it, he was her right-hand man and now he was gone. She didn't have anyone to turn too. 

_Booker,_

_Quynh,_

She should've spent the night with the pharmacy girl. Screw them both.

"ANDY!" Nile yelled from the other side of the door. Andy hadn't even realized the girl had been calling her name.

"Are you dead!?" Andy almost laughed at the complete fear that engulfed her voice at that moment.

"Yes" Andy replied, more subtle, calm, she wouldn't dare let the others think she wasn't doing well without Booker here for company.

"Bitch! Don't do that to me, I was worried. Nicky made dinner, come on. You have to eat" Nile told her and Andy could feel her hanging on the door waiting to hear Andy get up before she'd rush back to the kitchen pretending she hadn't been lingering there longer.

Andy closed her eyes again. Why did he have to do it? Why Booker? She knew why but she couldn't. 

"I'm coming Nile" she refused to let the default hang in her voice. Refused to let them see any less of her then she was already feeling. Mortality wouldn't have sucked as bad if Booker was struggling it with her. They could both bitch and be angry about it together. Even if he was immortal he would act like he was dying, act like he was sharing her pain with her. 

He would watch her die like his sons and still be strong enough for them both. 

"Andy?" Nile's voice hung on the 'y' a little longer then it needed. She had to get up, had to face the world like she did every other day before. Booker didn't change everything. Except he always did.

The **Asshole**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do we think? Should Andy give in, sneak out and go check on Booker? Or should maybe she should try write a letter like he is to her.


	3. Tell me something Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tell her something good, Booker. Andy needs to her something real, something honest. Something that isn't really what they would normally do but it isn't easy when you're trading letters instead of words and looks.

Nile was finally in bed the baby. Nicky pressed his hand to Andy's shoulder "Buona Notte boss" his voice was soft with a hint of knowing behind it. Nicky was a lot smarter than he often let on much to Andy's dismay tonight. She didn't reply as the boys past her, watched them share not so subtle touches and whispers slipping around the hallway. All too eager for privacy alone. She on the other hand had mentioned after dinner staying up a little longer in favor of 'reading' as she told them. Yet Andy had a funny feeling that Nicky could see the ever too thick page in the book where she was hiding a fresh slip of paper. The pointed ridge in her pocket where she had a pen. Thankfully he hadn't mentioned it, hadn't brought it up with her. Maybe she was just overthinking his glances and knowing looks in fear of what her mind was doing right now.

When the door of their room closes with a thud she is sure one of them is backed into it. Andy hung on a few more moments, re-reading the same damned page of this book she had already forgotten. Another few minutes, maybe even half an hour before she dared to believe she was alone in the warm lamplight of the room. Fishing the paper out of her book, unfolding it flat to the table. Pen at the ready, hell no was her letter going to be such a mess like his. She had more class than that.

  
_"How?" Booker scoffed taking back the last of his drink. Andy's eyes flashed up to meet his, raising an eyebrow in question. The hell was he going on about now? He had been silent for the last ten minutes gods know-how. "You never learned to write as a child yet your handwriting far neater then my own? Am I just a good teacher?" he teased offering her a sly smirk for a second settling the glass back to the table. "No you're a shit one," Andy said more sharply but between them, there was a playful tone in her words they both could feel. "I take my time Book. You don't" shaking her head returning to the writing of today. He didn't even know what she was writing but she still made an effort to practice the art anyway. Andy could feel his eyes hanging on her frame watching her with ease, sure his eyes hadn't stayed static to the paper rather they wandered. "Book" she groaned, only bothering for half a second to catch his eyes. "I'll get us a refill boss" he stole his eyes away fetching for the glass at her side stealing a second at the paper below._   
  


Andy suddenly realized how he must have been feeling writing his letters and why they were a scribbled mess. Her own head was a scribbled mess, where to begin? 

Thank you for the letters asshole, looks like you guilt-tripped me into sending you one back. Yeah, that sounded like the perfect opening Andy; offering herself a soft laugh under her breath. Leaning into her hands just looking at the blank paper. Was it even worth saying 'I miss you' again? hell no, what if someone caught the letter? She couldn't let anyone see vulnerability not like he was.

Hey, asshole you should be here. Was that even fair to be saying? It would've been a passing comment. Like when the explosive went off, blow half his insides up. Andy had almost had a heart attack that he wouldn't wake up, of course, the comment that passed between them so easily was "it's an improvement". Now that felt hurtful to say over a letter when she had technically stabbed the knife in with his 100-year ban

  
  


_She trusted him to come back. She always trusted him to be at her side. Andy always knew Joe would save Nicky first and vice versa so she counted on Booker instead to have her back and her to his. To see him sitting backed into the chair, cold and away. Bloody and broken. Andy wouldn't deny it hurt a little, scared her a little. Where the fuck was Joe and Nicky? What the fuck had happened, hadn't she only stepped out for what ten minutes and these boys already made a fucking mess._

_The tone Nile applied to her words Andy found scared her more than seeing him there. He had come back before, he always came back yet the way Nile had breathed her words out made Andy question any time Booker had come back. She tensed his name, her eyes jumping around the room but always coming back to him. Asshole wasn't waking up._

_Her fear started getting the better of her, she kicked his boot. Come on Booker, all you had to do was breathe and bitch about how much it hurt. "You still with me?" Andy hated how her voice begged at him. She pushed thoughts of Nile's questioning to that back of her mind, the tension of her arms started to fade like everything else become less important in the silence of the damaged room._

_He didn't move, nothing. Not a single movement. "Clear the back room. Find Joe and Nicky" she shot to Nile hated the tense fear that held to her words, getting down on her knees in front of Booker. This little babe was a marine, she would know how to clear a room well Andy focused on bringing Booker back._

_"Hey" Andy's words were soft. Quite. All focus on the others faded to the back of her mind. Just Booker, her friend. Her right-hand man. Her hands found his face. Felt the heat that faded from it replaced with that chilling cold. That lifelessness that clung to the dead. The blood around his face clung onto her hands, thick and burning. She pulled his head closer, turned him in her hands. Held him with a gentle touch she rarely would ever use._

_Andy stole another look at his wounds. Begged to see the skin healing over itself. Fuck it must have been one hell of a good explosive and well placed too. "Come on" she breathed out closing her eyes forcing a tear away that threatened just at the edge of her eye. His wounds weren't healing, they weren't closing. Why was it taking him so damn long? Her eyes trailed up his body found where he should be looking at her "Come back to me" her words hung to the 'me', to the single them that silently felt in the words. Her finger traced his facial bone, begged him to wake up. A subtle action she had only used a few times to him when they'd shared a bed. If she was honest it was something she had picked up from him. He was certainly a cuddly man in bed._

_The moments ticked up, nothing was working. She shook him, started to fear the worst but Andy couldn't dare let herself think that. "You're still in this shitty game with me" her words held anger to them or really more a fear. Damned if he was going to leave her with some new baby and the two gay men. Andy could've sworn she felt something in his neck, clutching at his clothing. Pulling him closer to her. "You hear me?" her eyes frantically jumped trying to find any subtle life clinging on to him. Just something. She held his face, searched him over and over again. "Now wake up," she told him, the words an order but too soft for much of a command._

_Andy's mind raced away on her. He was taking too long, even for him. Nile had woken up sooner and she was meant to be the baby. He was used to this by now. He should've come back. Andy was about to have enough of this shit. Smacking him in the face, desperate for some sort of reaction._

_Booker groaned loudly. she felt life returning. The asshole taking his sweet fucking time. He fell forward into her arms. She could feel his pain, heard him pressing it down. Pressing down the urge to scream at it. She held onto him, replaying 'Booker is alive' in her head thousand times just to prove to herself he really was. Andy closed her eyes tightly forced them close, held back the tears at their edges. Stupid ass, her heart had just gone to the moon and back the hell did he think he was doing?_

_But he was alive_

_Booker was alive_

_He was still here with her. She wasn't alone yet._

_Nile's footsteps came closer, Andy let his shirt go. Let him fell back into the chair repairing his injuries. Begging herself to regain control, regain the strength she needed to hold for Nile. Booker's pain filling her ears. What did Nile just say? They weren't here? Fuck. Her eyes followed upwards trying to ignore the massive hold in his stomach "Welcome back, asshole" the tone they tossed between each other that held a certain level of playfulness to it returned. Her hand graced his leg for a moment reaching for her gun. Andy's eyes never leaving him "Thanks for taking your time" she wanted to hit him again. No, she wanted to kiss him. Actually no she wanted to do both after he had scared her like that._

_"It hurts everywhere" Booker groaned. Andy wanted to laugh at him, pulled him a sly smile that gave him some level of comfort. "How bad is it?" he asked his eyes avoiding the blood, the mess, just catching the edges of hers. Andy got to her feet "It's an improvement" she teased letting their eyes trace each other. Booker laughed it off, there he was._

_With Nile there, everything passed by them too quickly. Andy returned to the boss, the leader. Her worry for the seconds shifted to Joe and Nicky lost between them._

**Tell me something good, Booker.**

The first line of the paper, the words carved in like stone untouchable. She couldn't take it back now. Clear before her, tell me something good. None of his letters had. There was never an "I'm doing okay" in his letters, it was just self-pity and grief spilling forth. Just a confused angry sad man that didn't know what to say but was trying to say something that didn't make him seem like the complete asshole he felt like. Andy pulled a fist to her face rubbing her somehow sore eyes. Why did it feel so, she wasn't even sure but the comment didn't feel like her. Something good? Something positive is what she wanted to hear from him. Something they wouldn't normally say. Something that might help her believe he was doing okay, that he wasn't a complete mess without them. Without her. 

Something serious, something real.

Andy leaned away from this cursed paper with its cursed words that brought about a part of her that really cared for them. Cared for them more than she ever had a right to. Her little family she would never admit to being terrified of losing. Not again after Quynh. Kind of ironic wasn't it, she at her core was terrified of losing her family. Lossing the people who truly did matter to who. Now they were going to lose her, they were going to watch her die. Fadeaway into legend. 

"Boss?" Nicky's voice shot through the darkness causing her to stiffen forcing herself not to leap from the chair and stab him with the dinning knife left abandoned on the table. "Jesus Nicky" She breathed out closing her eyes pretending that her heart hadn't just jumped the roof, hadn't just gone to the moon and back. Hadn't just begged that was Booker's voice instead.

"Do you wanna have some icecream with me?" His voice was teasing, so innocent and sweet. Nicky's style. "Joe keeps snoring, but don't tell him. I can't get any sleep like that. So Ice cream seemed like a perfect idea, no?" When Andy pulls her eyes away from the letter to catch his they're warmer. Brighter then they have been in a few days and she cannot understand why he seems content with this. He has spent all this time worrying? And now, he's just content to let her be awake alone doing something different to what she said without a single question? "What time is it," she asks quietly faking herself to be tired. Looking for an escape with this cursed letter before he could notice it.

Too late. Nicky already had noticed it when he had managed to walk in without her noticing. Andy must have been really deep in thought to not hear him. "Is that to Booker?" He asks without catching her expression. He doesn't hang on her for a reply, he doesn't come closer. Instead, he does just what she needed him to do, he backs off into the kitchen. Fetching two bowls, two spoons, and the tub of ice cream as he does. Giving her all the room she could ever ask for to decide where this question leads them.

When their eyes catch as the bowl sits just shy of her on the table with him across. She knows it isn't accusing, it isn't a 'boss he is meant to be in exile for 100 years what are you doing?. Instead "I know you miss him. You wouldn't admit it you're too Andromache of Scythia for that. Your eyes are not as bright without him. You two really are the darkest people I've known" he pauses for a laugh, a laugh that isn't hurtful, it isn't directed at her, it is one that makes her smile. Makes her shoulders relax "You two thrived off each other because you both kept each other above the water's line. Instead of sinking." there's a hanging silence on the end of his words, begging her to say something to him. Asking for her to be angry with him for touching so close on a personal matter for her. 

"I don't want him to do something he'll regret more" the words are heavy on her tongue that she almost doesn't get them out clearly. Andy isn't sure just what the thing is he could regret more but it's been gnawing at her since the first letter. "I am not going to say a word, I promise you boss." his words are so careful. Well-chosen and planned. He must have suspected over dinner, maybe sooner. "I am very angry indeed with what happened but the word time I have the more I think on this past his choice in action. I wonder what I would be like in his place-" that is where Andy cuts him off "You wouldn't have acted the same Nicky" her words are sharp. They aren't playful. Not like they would be with Booker "You were always." she pauses taking a steady breath picking her own words for a conversation she hadn't expected to have tonight. "I know" he stops her. "I know Andy that is why I cannot fault him or you for worrying about each other. That is true I would do that same to Joe. Fact you wouldn't keep me more him" Nicky's words quite down, her the corner of her eye she watches him stand. "Goodnight boss, il mio amore? Write from here" he pats her chest where she knows his heart is. Such a romantic fool "Not here" pointing to his head with a lopsided smile. Andy wanted to gag at this stupid romantic poetry shit. "Rest when you are finished please." his hands pressed to her shoulder. Waits for a sign before it dares leave her. Andy takes her time thinks over his words. "I will Nicky" she lies to him in a way he will believe. Or maybe not after all these years, he used to believe her. 

Another hour passes before she even puts pen to paper once more having considered Nicky's words a little closer yet she wasn't going to write some dumb romantic confession shit to Booker. Seriously Nicky what was he on to think that was ever going to happen. 

_Booker,_

_**Tell me something good** , Booker. The team is surprisingly lonely without you, asshole. Kind of missing your shitty sense of humor, I was almost tempted to watch a football game just to have something to argue about too. You know how difficult it is to get them to have a decent argument with me? _

_They think I'm going to drop dead in front of them Booker. Sometimes it is fun, having Nicky wait on me like a goddess again. I'd trade it for your bad choice in alcohol. Mortality sucks shit.  
_

_Send me a chocolate bar next time._

That is how Andy leaves their letter and she isn't even sure if it is actually worth sending it to him. Maybe it was to get a chocolate bar out of it. Maybe it was to let him know she wasn't dead yet. She clung to the words that asked them to meet physically. Too scared if she was honest about saying it. About what it would actually say if she wrote it down for him to read without this knowing looks, that playful tone that was borderline concerning to anyone else, the little smiles or scowls that passed the words to. The read between the lines little things they did. 

Andy folded her letter up, slipped it into the pages of her book to be hidden from the minds of her other teammates. She would slip it away to send tomorrow. Booker would have it in a few days if she had picked the right house. Almost positive she knew where he would have gone first. Her mind froze. Would he send one back? Would this be what they did till she finally killed over? 

Her book closed. Hiding the letter. Rested below her hand. Cold and uneasy all of a sudden. "Get it together Andy" reprimanding herself for acting with what felt like she weakness. When had she fallen to this? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buona Notte = Goodnight  
> Il mio amore = My love (said as a brother-sister/friendly way)
> 
> Hit 3k words in this chapter alone! Exploring how Andy might write a letter back to him. I felt like despite Nicky being livid with Booker just like Joe in the scene at the lab he was more patient and understanding, wanting Joe to do the same with Booker then to argue so part of me felt he might understand Andy being so caught up on Booker being gone a bit more then the others might have. Hopefully he keeps Andy's secret and hopefully Booker sends her a chocolate bar back.


	4. Sober

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Book's got her letter now, he has to figure out how to reply knowing that she is in fact reading them and now replying.

Andy's letter sits abandoned before him on the table propped up against a bottle of vodka. It has been 124 days since his ban had begun. Not that he was counting of course just a general observation only. He had written her three letters since. Once a month. Too drunk to really remember what stupid things he had said to her but hoped for both their sakes none-the-less. She had written one back, if he was honest the reality that she had actually written back was what was surprising him the most. 

Andy wrote him a letter.

Did that count as her breaking their ban? The words the letter contained spun around in his head. Lucky or not he hadn't started drinking yet this morning when the letter fell in his door. Maybe he really needed to. Bookers hand slowly graced along the table reaching forward to pick the edges of the letter sliding it back into his grasp. Andy's handwriting was so neat, so tame, so how the fuck was she so good at it? The girl hadn't learned to write for centuries and yet she was far neater than any of them. 

"Tell you something good" he muttered aloud, his eyes came up to scan the shitty apartment he had returned too. Small, convenient, it had a kitchen with a view of the city. It had a dining table to sit at. It had a bathroom. A bedroom. A small tv he had knicked from somewhere else. All he could ever need right? is that what she wanted him to say, I'm in the same shitty apartment we slept in during 1954. Booker was amazed this thing was still standing but then again Andy had hideouts before France was even France. What was there in this part of town, in this hideout worth telling her? Worth being good enough to tell her. 

The statement had him at a loss for words, a real loss. Did he just replay the memories of this place? The ones he remembers weren't half bad considering the undercover game they were playing. Consider that they were pretending to be a couple outside of the apartment to fool people. Considering he had memories of them together in the bed. 

"You'd come over here and punch me if I retold those memories" he laughed dropping the paper down onto the table before him. Floating from his hands. 

_This mission was long, boring in away. He knew why it was important but at the same time, playing games undercover was getting trying compared to the actual fighting. So he sought out a moment of quiet, a moment at their graves. It was still a drive from where they were staying but a day stolen away wouldn't hurt? At least he had thought that until he could feel Andy behind him. If he was honest she had been there for at least half an hour without a word, without moving. She had appeared and stayed. Booker couldn't tell if this was some sign of respect or if she was pissed at him and waiting for him to turn around before she had a go at him._

_In the end, running from your problems only lasts so long so he turned around. Looked for her eyes but they weren't there. She was leaned against an old tree, reading a book without paying him any attention. In fact, she didn't pay him attention until he was directly in front of her. "Ready?" she asked. She wasn't angry with him, that much he knew. Booker stole a last look back at the graves then nodded._

_Their drive back was silent. Andy didn't push him for a response, maybe she understood why he was doing it. Yet the silence between them was unbearable that when she opened the apartment door he broke "What were you doing?" he asked his voice held sharpness to it he hadn't meant for but Andy didn't seem wounded at all. "Keeping you safe Book" her voice so calm and at ease that he couldn't find words to reply with._

_"How did you move past your grief?" he leans against the rickety old dining table with her in front of him at the kitchen "I didn't Book. You just can't let it control you either that you keep falling down into a pit you won't get out off" he hung on her words like a fish on a line. She never felt older then him if that could even make sense and yet she held wisdom he doubted he would ever manage it._

_There are quite seconds between them before he's moving. Before he is directly in front of her that Andy feels small for once. In a moment's notice, his lips meet hers and she doesn't kick him for it. They're both too sober to justify themselves for this but neither stops. Andy's hands grip his shirt and his get tangled in her short hair._

_Booker almost doesn't believe it when they're laying in the bed for once completely sober. There's the unspoken 'don't mention this again' between them he knows Andy needs from him. So he doesn't mention it before their deep breaths trying to regain control again. He doesn't mention it when his fingers follow the line of her cheekbones. He doesn't mention it when she kisses him again._

_He doesn't mention it when they curl into each other's arms and fell asleep in mid-afternoon._

  
Booker leaned back in his chair with a sly smile, running a hand over his face. Little things Joe and Nicky would never know. He couldn't have put any of that moment into words, not in a way that would ever have captured it truly. Not for them. Not that Andy would have appreciated. Booker almost considers finding a bird or maybe a pet fish just go give Andy the something she is wanting but in reality, they both know it would be false. He considers opening with an argument, she's desperate for a good argument maybe that would work. Then he considers it, what is there to argue about over letters like this. 

"Andy" he groans again falling into his hands. This was the hardest letter to write now, she gave him something to write about, something he couldn't pick from. He pushes himself away from the table, forget the damned letter. Booker changed tactics, start from the end, and go backward. He'd fetch the chocolate bar she wanted first. 

Leaving the letter alone with the bottle of vodka basking together in the morning glow that bathed his room. Fumbling with the keys, the items become locked away from the world for just him as he ventures out into the city. For probably one of the first times completely sober, if only a little hungover. 

The breeze around him is chilly as he pulls the collar of his jacket up around his neck. Watching his breath appear and disappear before him in a matter of seconds. He had walked these streets a thousand times, in a thousand different centuries with her. It's only been four months fr him to become completely strange to the team, completely lost from everything he thought was himself. 

Booker had fucked up big time. She had told him, 'you won't be alone. We're your family' when they first meet. She had told him 'you won't be alone, we're your family" when his first son died. She had told him "You've always got us book, we're family" when his last son died. He clung to those words, that was what he had wanted to hear. He had wanted her to treat him like Nile that he had made a dumb mistake and needed guidance but he was older than that. Old enough to know. Would they still be his family in 100 years? Would they even be a family with Andy? Joe was livid with him, Nicky he hoped with time wouldn't be as angry. Nile might understand, the girl was going to let him off with an apology how great was that. She had 100 years to learn yet that the world wouldn't be as kind as she was to it.

Booker rounded the corner, slipped into the convenience store, and headed straight for the candy he knew Andy didn't need, probably would've got just as easily at home but had asked for anyway. He was going to listen to his boss this time, he wouldn't betray her, wouldn't step a foot out of line. Fucked if that was going to happen. His hands grabbed two bags of crisps, another three bars of chocolate, and dropped it onto the counter. One for him, two for her. Maybe Andy would appreciate an extra one. The lady across from him didn't question it, wasn't like he had brought anything here recently that was of any good so why start now. 

The cool breeze had turned to rain on his way out of the door onto the street before him. He didn't care much for it, let it wash out his hair and slip between the fibers of his clothing. He breathed in the smell of rain. Part of him welcomed the water against his body, seeming fitting for his mood right now. 

Booker fumbled with his keys against, almost bashed open the wonky door. Dropping the food against the table stripping down to barely anything as the rain-soaked into his skin. With new pants, an old overcoat he knew Andy had taken from someone years before yet somehow had ended up his overtime rested around his shoulders. A bag of crisps popped open, the sounds of munching all to be heard. 

"I won't drink today" he mutters aloud as he writes the first line of his paper. That would be his good thing to Andy, he would stay sober today. "I'll watch the football game now, you should too" he continues, stumbling from his chair to switch the shitty old tv on determined not to let his words lie to her. Hiding away the bottle of vodka from sight. "France should win, we're the best time" he adds afterward a line he hopes would spark an argument in her even if it isn't to be written back to him. Then he turns serious for a moment as he hangs over the table leaning back and forth on the ball of his feet. "Can't die yet Andy, whos gonna be stuck in this shitty game with me? I don't want to be stuck babysitting Nile and Nicky" he isn't sure how she'll read it or if it'll come across with the same playful tone he mutters the words with. Part of him thinks that between the lines he is asking for her to stay with him even after all this. "Sending two chocolate bars for good measure boss" is where he leaves the letter before he fears something worse could end up being written on them. Booker's eyes glance back to her letter, then to his. Fuck his is a mess. 

He wraps the chocolate bars in it. Folds the letter in the most untidy way imaginable and slips out into the rain again shirtless to send it. When he returns inside the game is alive. Part of him wishes he could be there arguing it with Joe. Having Andy hang on the couch watching offering small argumentative comments always there to draw Booker in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the happiest with my writing in this one but hopefully you guys will enjoy it!


	5. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team heads to west Germany for a mission. Booker and Andy continue to trade letters well Nile starts to get curious something is happening. Will Nicky give away any secrets?

_I won't drink tonight Andy. I'll watch the football game now, you should too. France should win, we're the best. Can't die yet Andy, whos gonna be stuck in this shitty game with me? I don't want to be stuck babysitting Nile and Nicky_

_Sending two chocolate bars for good measure boss._

  
Andy sits on her floor of the bedroom at roughly 1 am, maybe not quite yet but close enough. One chocolate bar is open, Andy had been breaking small bites off. She had to admit sending two back was a good idea on his part. The entire letter was, good? It was better than the last three. There wasn't any self-pity, no ' _i'm so sorry for everything_ ' no begging for forgiveness or spilling forth is self-hatred to his decision that had lead him to this. "Really Booker? Sober for a day. I bet not" She places a fresh slip of paper over his, marks the lines before, and starts hers. 

_Sober for a day? I bet you cannot keep that going for two days._

He mentions the football game and Andy groans. It's too late for her to be making an excuse for watching the game. Not one Nile or Joe wouldn't question her on. Especially not know that Nile was actually starting to come to terms with everything, not when she was sleeping. Andy sits for a moment and thinks of Booker's old laptop. He must have left it around here ... before she even realizes it Andy is too her feet searching the room. She may have, secretly, kept a box of his things in here somewhere. They had hidden many of Booker's things in a locked room as Nicky had said 'it was his personal items, we shouldn't leave them open and free to be ruffled though' which Andy had to agree with. Yet there were some things she wanted to see a few more times of Booker's before she died. The box was at the back of her closest in a spot she knew the others wouldn't search. At the bottom was his laptop. Along with photos .. his dairy .. some books .. Andy pulled the laptop from it closing the box quickly. She wasn't ready to go there yet, she shouldn't be looking at any of that now. 

Andy placed the laptop in front of her, knowing his passwords off by heart. Maybe someone would say it was weird but he said whatever personal was on it wasn't personal enough to keep from her. She didn't venture far, only the browser, only looking for a replay of the latest game with France. Against Morocco. Andy couldn't help but laugh, actually laugh for once in so long. Their teams in away. He always had to vote for France. She would always take whoever wasn't France but she had a few teams that were her, Morocco was one. 

_Sober for a day? I bet you cannot keep that going for two days. Morocco wins you know, France is shit at football when will you learn Booker, you guys just can't play. I'm not leaving you yet asshole, don't play that card. You're a crappy babysitter, I wouldn't leave you in charge of them. I'll leave Joe in charge of them before you. Tell me about what you're doing._

_We are heading out to West Germany, you know what house, send your next one there._

Andy's pen pauses there. Send your next one there. The words standstill in her mind. Andy was not just expecting he would reply but it brought a smile to her face. I thought of his reply. The thought of what he would say next. The knowing he wasn't here stunk back in. "Write back soon Booker" Andy folds the paper in her hands. Neatly places it inside the envelope. 

Andy's eyes close as a new football game plays on the laptop somewhere around 2 am.

_"Joe and I are going out for dinner" Nicky is so lively, so overly happy with the idea of spending time alone with Joe as if they didn't spend their nights alone with each other already. "Ohh Andy the kids are going out. You know you have to be back by sunset" Booker teases them despite being younger in terms of immortality. "Says Booker out with any women who would allow him" Joe punches him back in the shoulder. Andy doesn't bother staying to sipping on her tea, Nicky is rushing around behind her at the kitchen. "No! No no no!" he's calling out and she realizes that she had missed a part of this conversation. "Stop!" she has to laugh putting her arm up for Booker "I don't care, you two out. Now" pointing her cup towards the door. Joe and Nicky take their exit that just leaves these two alone. "Do I ask Booker?" the playful tone in her voice makes them settle into ease. "Just going to tidy up Nicky's hair before he goes out with his boyfriend you know" Booker has an innocence to his words taking a bottle of vodka from below the sink. Pouring some into her tea. "Disgusting" Andy mutters but drinks it anyway._

_Somewhere along the way, they end up sharing a few more drinks, uncomfortably sharing the couch. They are back to sharing stories, short and sweet along with a game of cards. Most of the words are confused and mumbled but the pair don't mind. Instead, it is a game, for every slip up there is a kiss shared. For every loss at the cards is an item of clothing removed. "Looking a little light on clothing there Booker" Andy throws down a card between them, "Says you, three more and you're out" Booker sounds too confident considering he is in just his underwear. He drops another card and Andy grins, replacing with care hers on top. "I think that Booker is another loss for you" she grins leaning forward on her knees watching the drop on his face. He quickly replaces it into laughter "You bitch" his words are lost in their kiss "What was that?" She breaths against him as he grabs at her refusing to let her tease him. "You don't need the rest of that" he pulls at what is left of hers and that seems like the end of it for them._

Memories with Booker are a mixture. Most of the drunken blurs she knows they had sex somewhere in. Others are calmer, more reserved, more where they would speak openly to each other. Andy knows that she is in fact smiling at his memories as much as it hurts to not have him now, the time she had with him was still fond. 

**A few days later at Booker's Apartment**

Booker sits back on his bed "Okay I won't play that card again boss" he mutters taking a sip of last night's glass he thinks is rum? or actually was it wine? Funny they are all starting to taste the same. "Fuck" he suddenly bursts out, "Challenge accepted" Booker groans instead Andy didn't think he could keep this up two days so now he had to prove her drop. Up turning the glass letting the last of its contents fall onto the floor. 

Booker reaches for an old book of Andy's she had given him years ago to read but hadn't actually read. Uses it as a backing for his letter back. "I, Andy, accept your childish challenge. I will be sober for two days, actually, I'll raise you to three" he scribbles the words down, crosses out the two days and raises her challenge for three days. His hand reaches for the glass having already forgotten the contents was gone, brings it to his lips only to be left with nothing by the taste of stained glass. "I'm drinking in the apartment, some days I go out for the walk but I mostly sit here to read or watch whatever is on tv," Booker adds in rough words.

Scratching his head with the pen. "Sorry, Andy. You be safe in Germany or I might just have to come to cover your ass again. Don't babysit the kids too much, they haven't got shit without you remember" Booker realizes he has probably played the card she asks him not too. He starts to cross the words out but can't. They need to be said, she has to understand not to take risks anymore for Nicky, Joe, or Nile's safety not when her wounds won't heal the same. 

_You say France is shit at football one more time boss and I'll start the new world war myself. You don't even know the damned rules of football!_

_Take Nile horse riding well you are in Germany, that will be something to hear about._

_-Booker_

Yesterday Booker had fetched more chocolate bars. Another two fall into the letter he remembers to address to Germany for her. Surprised by the panic that sinks in that she wouldn't get the letter. He can't even believe himself to be panicked over something so .. something that is his entire world at the moment. This is all Booker has, his letters to Andy. His letters of home. The realization of that hits him like a full-on train. "Holy fuck" he rubs his eyes forces himself to breathe.

  
_He rolls over in the bed slides his arm around her hip. Oh, there it is again, the pounding hangover headache and Andy's warm body that he probably shouldn't be cuddling against. "Booker" she groans and he pretends that he is still drunkenly asleep "So damn cuddly" she groaned Booker feels her move against him roll a touch onto her back "Germany is cold" is his only reply. Andy almost wants to laugh at the silliness to his voice "Seriously?" she is completely on her back now even if Booker has barely shifted an inch._

_The other day was hell, to say the least. Mission went sideways was the easiest way to put it and of course, they got shot up like shit. Booker's hand traced the still tender skin of Andy's healed wounds from yesterday in his drunken daze. The four of them had drowned their annoyance in many, many bottles. Joe and Nicky retired early to the same activity. Andy and Booker instead pulled out every file there was, scanned over everything, looked for the one thing they must have missed before. Booker honestly couldn't remember that part, just that the table and the floor was a scatter of papers and books. That somewhere in this conversation Quynh comes up, Booker is sure the conversation didn't start from here but something else that leads to a memory she brings up. That brings up the cursed name, the cursed century, the cursed mistake she couldn't take back. Somewhere in that he was trying to comfort her._

_"I think I figured it out" Andy groaned shifting again beside him stretching her body, Booker tries to ignore the way she moves. Ignore his eyes peeking out when he thinks she isn't looking just to look over her. She is the boss, he quite literally on more than one occasion seeing their boss completely naked. Sure something in that was not supposed to be allowed. "Mmmhm? I think I figured something out too" he pulls her in a little closer and Andy knows full well this isn't about the scattered papers in the living room. "Really Booker? Please enlighten me" she whispers next to his ear that awakes his eyes to catch hers._

He stumbles over the bed somehow managing to jam the letter into the envelope followed with the chocolate bars in a way that certainly doesn't make the package look like a poorly designed bomb. He smacks his head into the door with a loud thud trying to open it. Curses the world in French somehow making it down the stairs and out into the world. "Oh fuck off when did it get this bright" he groans too loudly that a woman stops and stares at him in shock. Quickly turning her child around from him. Booker somehow doesn't pay it much attention used to that sort of behavior, his focus is set. He scribbles down the new address having to take a moment to remember it before it's lost to him in the mail system. To Germany, it goes Booker wishes the letter luck.

**A few days later in West Germany**

They already had "their rooms" so to speak but there isn't another spare so Andy gives hers to Nile. "Please I'll be more comfortable sleeping in his mess then you will" Andy doesn't elaborate on the topic but is gone before Nile has a good chance to argue. Andy's room is spotless, clean, and well mannered. Booker's is a mess, it has books everywhere. Notes and random scattering of times lost items. Andy knows this room too well, many nights spend up talking and drinking. Andy puts her bag down on his bed and lays back on his bed.

"Hey, Nicky" Nile whispers sneaking into his room. She has already forgotten where Joe went, maybe it was to get food? Doesn't matter Nile pushes that thought away. Nicky stands pausing unpacking "Yes?" he opens placing down a few shirts into the draw. "So .." Nile pauses looking out the door down the hallway where she can see Andy on the bed. "Them-" She points her fingers together trying to make a signal to Nicky that maybe he is too old to understand as the man just stands there confused. Nile keeps making hand signals but nothing works that Nicky just grabs her hands "I think you should use your words Nile?" he offers to let them go once more. "She misses him come on, I- I wasn't here long with him but I'm not stupid either. She was terrified that Booker wasn't going to wake up after the bomb and then the beach? What- Should I know something Nicky?" Nile chose him over Joe besting he would be the most honest with her. He had been kind and forthcoming over that dinner in the church so she figured he would now. Nicky kind of smiles at a loss for words, he starts and stops trying to find words that justify them. "I had Joe, he had I. They had grief, that grief gave them each other. I wouldn't know what they were, just that they were enough to each other. When I lose my way I can turn to Joe. Andy wouldn't turn to us but Booker, she could, because he would turn to her. They would drink, argue, play dangerous games, they bonded in ways that they needed." Nicky leans his head around the door "Of course she misses him the most. She doesn't have anyone to turn to again" Nicky's voice is much quieter for those words but Nile still seems confused. "But why can't she just talk to us?" She asks and Nicky pity her "It isn't that easy Nile" he puts his hands on either side of her face "Go, we have big plans. Let her sort her grief, she will speak when she wishes. Not when we ask" Nicky's voice is warm. Understanding in a way Nile appreciates even if she doesn't understand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try do two letters (one each) from them this chapter just within "a few days" of each other. I threw in some "casual" moments such as Booker tracing her tender healed wounds as something the pair would've already covered in whatever their relationship is so to them it's more subtle why I didn't play too much to it. Many many memories still to explore where we might get to see the first time one of them does this!
> 
> Hint did you catch where Andy mentions Booker is a cuddly man to sleep with? And how Booker relives a memory of him cuddly her? Wonder how many more hints I've left ...


	6. Horses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two more letters traded between the pair but this time Booker awakes from a frightening nightmare that has him on edge worrying for Andy. Is something about to happen to her?

Early in the morning before the others are awake, still recovering from their jetlag Andy sat on the porch breathing in the early morning's breeze. Booker's letter rests in her hands her sole focus just the sounds of birds around her. Honestly, this safe house was a grand one, the family that lived here had this tradition so to speak of keeping the team safe after Andy rescued their now great-great-great grandmother as a little girl vowed to repay that debt. The farm was situated perfectly to main roads for easy access to the cities but not noticeable enough for them to lay low in. The family had been breeding horses here for those generations, which of course when you are as old as Andy is horses are still a little more favorable to cars. 

_ I accept your challenge Andy, I'll be sober for two days raise you to three days! I'm drinking in the apartment, some days I go out for the walk but I mostly sit here to read or watch whatever is on tv. Sorry, Andy. You be safe in Germany or I might just have to come to cover your ass again. Don't babysit the kids too much, they haven't got shit without you remember _

_ You say France is shit at football one more time boss and I'll start the new world war myself. You don't even know the damned rules of football! _

_ Take Nile horse riding well you are in Germany, that will be something to hear about. _

_ -Booker _

Andy's morning coffee sat mostly forgotten beside her with his two chocolate bars for this letter. A grin pulls on her features, ass had to raise her challenge? she was sure he wasn't keeping to them but maybe there was some hope that he was. "Go out and see Pairs more off Booker" she sighs settling her paper above his with pen in hand re-reading his scribbled words once more before she even begins. Her mind is caught on covering her. Part of her wants to joke, if she could even lie to herself it was, that he should help her babysit them. Yet the words are too sharp, too cold, too mixed with pain for even her to joke with right now. Instead, Andy ignores the comment, presses it to the back of her mind. 

_ I haven't even got a way to know if you're keeping to these challenges Book. France is still shit at football, When have you ever won a decent game, Booker? You can't even play football yourself sober so don't quote me on the rules. I don't even think Nile has seen a horse let alone sat on one, you want me to take her riding? You know what, I see that being a fun adventure. I'll tell you how it goes. How's the weather in Paris? _

Andy can hear them up now as she finishes off the last word of the letter. Folds it quicker this time away just as Nile steps from the door. "Morning" she hangs on the word too long that Andy becomes suspicious. "Need something Nile?" she pressed keeping a calmness about her on the front "What ya doing?" Nile pretends to be casual but it is far to clear to Andy she is looking for something in Andy's words. "Sitting outside enjoy the calm morning." Andy plays refusing to let anything slip. Nile seems to consider the words before going to speak again when Andy stops her "Ever ridden a horse before Nile?" she grins pushing aside the letters from Nile's view to a new subject matter she cannot escape.

_ "Andy? Andy Wake up" she feels Booker's hands at her shoulder. Andy groans push her face into the pillow some more "What" she murmurs. Andy feels the bed shift as Booker kneels at her side shaking her again "I found it, come on" Booker tries to pull the blanket off her but Andy just pulls it back "Tell me about it in a few hours" Andy groans trying to roll over "Andy" he hangs on the 'y' in her name. Repeats her name a few more times before she finally gives up ignoring him opening her eyes to find him right in front of her. "Goddamn Booker move" her lips twitch upwards into a smile pushing his chest away. Booker doesn't move for a second as their lips grace each other, he goes to lean forward when Andy pulls away "Booker hurry up before I go back to sleep" She argues.  _

_ Booker passes over his jacket when they get into the kitchen. Andy pulls it on tight breaths in the scent that clings to it when he isn't looking at her. Booker sorts the papers, places a few important ones in front of her chair as she sits. "Okay so look at this one first" he bounces back pointing to the paper he has already forgotten the name of. Andy side-eyes him getting cups out, pouring in hot water, he was making her tea she realized. "What am I looking for again Booker," she asks leaning back in the chair. He places the cup gently beside her, pointing to sections reading them aloud enough that it keeps Andy awake on the edge of focusing.  _

_ "Andy, are you listening to me?" Booker looks her dead in the eyes as she sips on the tea. "Keep talking Booker I'm loving the sound of your voice, you are so happy with your achievement I really don't want to lose such a rare moment" a silence between falls for half a second before Booker breaks it in laughter and Andy follows suit. "Should've left it for the morning" He manages to get out? "I told you I was tired Book" she offers with a tilt of the head "But I will stay up a bit longer, please continue" Andy's voice is pleasant and calming that Booker falls into it for a moment. She leans on the table, pushes the papers towards him encouraging Booker to continue. "You owe me boss" He adds downloading the last of his tea ready to continue explaining his great find.  _

Andy lets the memory of Booker's voice settle into her mind as she tacks up her horse. She has so much memory of his voice from that evening. Watches over the animals back as Nile struggles to get any of it looking semi-appropriate. "Nile?" Andy says sternly getting the younger women to pause giving little more them a mumbled grunt in response "What are you doing Nile?" Andy moves around her horse. "Tacking up, like you-?" Nile stumbles over her words pointing at Andy's horse.

Nevermind she was already worse than Booker. 

** A few days later at Booker's Apartment **

"ANDY" Booker yells shooting up in the bed "Fuck!" he repeats over and over cursing in French as his height rate attempts to come back down from it's high. The image of her bloody and dead still fresh in his mind. His wife, his sons, Andy. They are all there. Someone else face was as well, one that wasn't dead he isn't sure who. Booker collapses back into the mattress wishing to hide himself away. Too often Andy would've been there if he had woken up like this, too often he couldn't spill it all forward to him, too often she would've said they needed a stronger drink for this. Too often he would've agreed without issue. None of that was waiting for him now. Just the silence of this room. Booker manages to pull himself from the bed, manages somehow not to just drop straight on the floor. The first thing he does is drink, drowns the dreams in alcohol. He needs to get rid of those images of them from his mind. Erase them all. 

_ Booker pokes his head around the stall door. Andy still her with a horse that had suffered a great injury only a few hours before. The animal's head rests in her lap as she runs her hand gently along the fine neck. Booker steps around and sits beside her looking anywhere that wasn't her even if he can feel her eyes glued to him. "So you going to stay out here all night?" he asks eventually making his way to her eyes. "He doesn't deserve to die alone, Booker. Horse or not" she says keeping her focus on him for a little longer. Booker nods his head offers her the bottle. "What are you doing?" she asks elements of defeat run in her voice "I am staying up with my friend. Whos staying up for a horse" he says too casually but she can feel the sentiment behind it. Only a few weeks ago Andy had stayed up all night with him over the death of his firstborn son. _

_ "Want to go ridding then when he feels better?" Booker asks somewhere around the midnight mark, causing a chuckle from Andy "He isn't going to just bounce back like us" she reminds him and Booker shrugs "Nahh look, tough horse. He really just wants to be cuddled like a baby by you" Booker reaches his hand out to gently touch the horses face. "Cuddle hm? sounds like someone else I know" Andy glances away from the playful smirk clear on her face "I don't think anyone in their right mind can turn down cuddles" he punches her arm lightly. "I think you two will get on well then" she adds leaning into his shoulders. Neither mentions the action too afeared of what would happen if it became aloud.  _

_ "Everything dies doesn't it," Booker asks around maybe 3am when they've had quite a bit more to drink away. "Everything that lives has to die" Andy breaths deeply almost wishing to avoid such a topic right now. "Your family?" Andy gives him a look that says it all. "Were they as caring to the horses as you?" he pulls a smile that Andy can't help but mimic "Really Booker? Horses were all anyone had for decades. You take them for granted you know" Andy chuckles at Booker's face trying to protest her comments. "I bet they weren't as good riders as you" He offers "My youngest sister was very good" Andy adds if she can even remember them. Her memories are mostly lost, fragment, and broken yet there is something with the horses she thinks that her youngest sister was besting her at. "How many were there again, five of you? Your poor mother having to keep track of you all. Sister was anything like you-" his words are cut off as Andy smacks his arm "Excuse me?" shes laughing and so is Booker "I'm just saying boss, you must've been a handful. Probably worst them my boys" He says away waiting for her to hit him but it doesn't quite come. "I think you've had enough to drink" she snatches the bottle from her, keeps it from arms reach. "I don't think I've had even close to enough" he adds on the other hand trying to reach around her. Only to be smacked in the face as the horse gets up sick of their bickering. _

That horse got to live that night. Something in it Booker expects is because they stayed awake all night with him. Something about that night always clings to him. Maybe it is seeing how caring Andy could be to something that was experiencing pain he could understand but the actual thought it could die was beyond him? He had lost the idea that he was going to die. Andy had lost it too but that horse it was still fresh in their mind. Andy was going to end up the same, wasn't she? Hurt and bleeding, Nicky, and Nile would give her that comfort and support she gave the horse. If only he knew Andy wouldn't accept it. Not even after the lab when they made a stop to change and wash up, spend the night to rest before deciding what to do with him. "Forget that I don't want to think about that now" he groaned too loudly already on the edge of being tipsy. Andy's face had been so disappointed in him hurt. Andy's face covered in blood hurt him more. Booker is about to get another bottle when the mail falls in his door. He doesn't care for the news or spam, just her letter. In the neatest handwriting his name.

_ I haven't even got a way to know if you're keeping to these challenges Book. France is still shit at football, When have you ever won a decent game, Booker? You can't even play football yourself sober so don't quote me on the rules. I don't even think Nile has seen a horse let alone sat on one, you want me to take her riding? You know what, I see that being a fun adventure. I'll tell you how it goes. How's the weather in Paris? _

_ -Andy _

He stumbles back into the chair grabbing the closest clean paper. It is too clear to see she has ignored what he said about keeping safe, at least in a sense to reply to it. Booker can only hope the warning remains at the back of her mind that she will in fact keep safe. Not after that dream could he stand her not. He wiggles in the chair trying to get a look out the window once more is it raining. He starts to write back everything on the paper just gets crossed out. The image of his family still stuck fresh in his mind. 

It isn't until the evening that Booker finally manages to write some words down that make sense for Andy. He spends the entire day worrying that something is coming, something is going to happen, something is hanging around the corners that he should see.

_ I won't break my word anymore boss. I really do promise you that. In 100 years, I'll teach you the French rules of football, you and me. Hitchhike out home and we'll just learn football. Nile can't be worst then me and I've had years of practice, don't worry about it she can't be worst than me, right? Put her on the Dinosaur. It is raining for the third day straight here. Probably going to keep raining for the rest of the week. _

Booker hangs on the letter. He wants to be more positive, he hadn't been too bad the last few days, the last few letters. He just cannot shake the feeling, cannot shake something bad is going to happen. Cannot shake the fact he can't be there to do anything about it. Booker hadn't questioned it a moment when he stepped in front of her at the lab let the bullets hit him instead. It was an instinct to protect her knowing she wouldn't heal. "You and me Book. Now and Always" still fresh in his mind from the moment she said it too him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andy still is trying to ignore what she isn't quite healing or that she needs to be safe well Booker is clearly panicking over this. I wonder what his dream was about, should be some little hints left in the story! Things might start to heat up from now, I've big plans for either of the next two chapters!


	7. Leave me Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mortality can really be an issue sometimes. Andy just ends up dealing with a little too much all of a sudden that just gets to be too much all at once.

"Nile just **leave me alone**!" Andy finally snaps holding her injured arm. Nicky goes to take a step forward but when the daggers come his way from Andy's eyes he turns tail quickly. "Come on" he pulls the edges of Nile's jacket trying to encourage her to move. "But- Wait. No Andy still needs-" Nile gets cut off by Andy's sharp voice "I need some peace and quiet" the pain is still running fire in her nerves. It takes Joe grabbing Nile's arm before the younger woman finally leaves Andy be alone in the room. Andy could still feel them hanging on the door. She lets her body fall to the side onto the softer mattress a deep groan echoing out. Her body hurt like hell, she was for once feeling really defeated. Maybe not quite as defeated as when she was laying in the lab conflicting thoughts of her mortality along with Booker's betrayal still fresh in her mind.

_ Andy focused on literally anything, god knows what but anything was better than these three men. Booker hadn't argued much compared to Joe who had found every little insult to grab. Booker had tried to defend himself as much as Andy hated it right now. Goddamn it why was Nicky was the only with any sense right now. Did the boys really have a need to just go off at each other like this? _

_ "YOU SELFISH PIECE OF SHIT" Joe's yelling hit her ears. Andy blinked, fighting back the anger and pain that was running riot right now. Nicky's voice cut in with a calmer tone, more sensible. "Joe! Really please" he was the only one managing to keep it together right now. Something Andy both loved and hated at this moment. She hated how far she felt she had fallen, how much she couldn't feel any control. That was what then made her glad that Nicky could find the strength for them all to keep something civil. _

_ "What would you know of the weight of all these years alone?" Booker tries pointlessly to argue. It's those words that hurt because he had a point to them in some way but at the same time, alone? Really Booker. What about them, Joe and Nicky. He had the nerve to say alone. He had us. Even if she wasn't going to be the same. Even if they weren't going to be his wife and his sons. "You are a very pathetic man" Joe shakes his head bitter taste to his words "Joe Please!" Nicky doesn't stand for his tone biting down at him quickly refusing to let the words sink in but they already have for Andy. She knows well Booker will be feeling it as well.  _

_ "You and Nicky always had each other. And all we had? Was our grief" Booker says pain thick in his voice. Andy can feel his eyes on her but she doesn't look at him. Andy has no idea what the hell is really happening, yesterday Booker was everything. Her right-hand man. Then he betrayed her and now he was trying to justify himself like this. The back of her mind is asking her to bite out, say something sharp, let him understand but what good is that going to do. She'd already yelled at him before.  _

_ "Well now you have even more" Joe speaks the truth. It doesn't matter how this was going to end for them. Either way, it did Booker was screwed over, he had no chance at leaving this behind without the weight of it. Hanging on his shoulders.  _

_ Andy eventually closes her eyes, she needed to stand stronger. She needed to drop this shit but her mind was a scrambled mess. Before Andy realizes her head falls to the side, her eyes find him and she shuts them too quickly. The last thing Andy wants to do is look at Booker. Andy feels his eyes leave her by the time hers sneak open to peak at his frame. Her eyes fall away to the floor.  _

_ By god, this headache was killing her. _

Andy's realized she was just looking at the ceiling having gotten lost in her memories. A recent one at that but one that matters a lot to her still in these moments. She closes her eyes, listens to the quiet of the room around her attempt to quite the thoughts within her own her for just a moment.

Nile came rushing around the corner with a letter in her name almost about to crash into Nicky. Who gave her wide eyes instantly grabbing sight of the letter. "Nicky- There is a letter address to Andy from Booker!" her voice is a somewhat shouty whisper as she looks around half expecting Andy to show up out of nowhere. Nicky can already see where this is going as he reaches for it. Nile gives him a shocked expression "Oi hey what? Nicky-" She asks looking him up and down yet she doesn't fight the older man as the letter gets slipped into his jacket "I opened it .. I um got curious and I didn't read it. I saw Bookers name-" Nile starts to ramble on still checking behind her for Andy "Nile- Nile!" Nicky puts his hands out on her shoulders trying to grab the attention calming the girl down. "You knew didn't you" Nile's jaw dropped as her eyes grew wide. Nicky goes to talk then stops, a few times over. The man clearly trying to pick words that wouldn't land him in strife with either woman involved. 

"Nothing is ever the easy Nile." Nicky starts causing the younger women to give him a confused glance wanting to argue over the points still. "Booker ..." Nicky's head was a scrambled mess trying to find the right words. Of course, he had to be the one stuck in the middle of this triangle. "Let them Nile, they both needs this. It will do them well." Nicky scratches his head his eyes jumping up to find Joe. Damn it he wasn't anywhere to be seen no support to be hand against this. "Yeah, but doesn't that mean we should all be allowed to just talk to him? Why can't he come back if Andy has forgiven him-" Nile gets cut off as Nicky shakes his head a touch of a smile with a repeated 'no' to his voice? "Andy I doubt has forgiven his actions. Joe I know has not forgiven them. I am still forgiving them. A price must be paid for what he did one way or another Booker knows this well Nile remember that." Nicky tries to explain stepping around the kitchen top may be worth beginning dinner to distract Nile at least a little bit. 

"Yeahhh?" Nile hangs on the 'h' stepping around the other side of the island to settle herself on a stool "But if they are writing letters back then how has Andy not forgiven him?" Nile shrugs as if the question is dumb. Nicky chuckles back "Talking doesn't mean forgiveness" the man offers in return tossing his accent out thick into the words. "This talking is healing. Healing will bring forgiveness. Forgiveness takes time" Nicky continues getting out the chopping board and sorting items onto the kitchen bench. "Well, when is Andy gonna forgive him? Or Joe?" Nile asks with a pressing tone to her words. Still so young, still caught on the rhyme and reason of their old ways. "Joe might never really forgive him, not easily" Nicky laughs places a chopping board and knife in front of Nile signaling for her to help him if she was going to bother him. "And Andy?" Nile asks again trying to encourage Nicky to talk. The man looking for any out he could find but with how desperate Nile seemed for answers this wasn't going to go quietly. "I do not know. I'm sure my incurable romantic could tell you what they are to each other" Nicky pauses with laughter the memory of Joe's speech in the van replaying in his own mind "With that I do not know when Andy will be able to forgive him. I know she will need time to heal, miss him a little even. When the time is ready they will meet again" Nicky spins on his feet almost dancing a bit around the kitchen, Nile had to admit the man was the easiest of them all to get along with. 

He was fun at times like this, others quieter more book-reader nerdy but always honest and careful with how he spoke in a way that one could lose themselves in for safety with how much kindness he had to them. The kindness she could really use right now. They were getting along great, Andy was keeping her word but there was an edge of tension that had been there since Booker left that somehow she assumed his presence alone cut. "Does that mean Booker won't be exiled for 100 years?" Nile asks after some quiet minutes pass between them. Nicky's eyes jump up to catch hers as a warm smile crosses his features "I do not know" solemn words he thinks hard on. "I truly do not know Nile. I don't think for a second that Booker would stand by and let Andy die without seeing her. Helping her. At the least being there when she does. I do not think for a second Andy either will want those to be her last memories of the" Nicky adds leaning onto the kitchen bench "They are just difficult but one thing is clear. Even if his exile stands, I do doubt they will keep it fully" Nicky offers her a smile to his words waiting with a focus for how Nile will react. He can tell a part of her wants to see Booker again, the older man had an ease about him the others fell into. Somehow that slightly angry and depressed alcoholic man did have a way of sticking into people's hearts in the long run. One thing Nile needed from him were words of his family, her family, words that the pair could share and understand better then the others could with Nile. "We should probably give Andy the letter huh?" Nile doesn't reply to his previous words her mind still caught up on it all. Part of her wanted nothing more than to rush to Andy and ask her everything about it. Yet the longer they were together the more she started to really see that it wouldn't work like that with Andy and probably not Joe. Nicky would be the only one who could tolerate that. "I'll do it" Nicky reaches out resting his hand over hers "Continue dinner for me," he asks moving around the kitchen branch out into the rest of the house in search of Andy's room.

Nicky pauses at the door for a moment playing over how this could go down. Till eventually, he knows to just bit the bullet "Andy" He says opening her door slowly hoping she would be in a better mood then she was. To his surprise, Andy is asleep when he walks in. Not that Nicky would be complaining this was almost perfect. He slips around the bed setting the letter on her bedside table. Nicky hangs for a moment he can still see the blood staining the recent bandages around her arm. She's clinging onto the pillow in a way he knows she is struggling but isn't going to let them know it. For a moment Nicky thinks of fetching her a blanket but instead removes his own jacket from his shoulders. It isn't much but maybe it would count towards something when she woke. Help her feel at least somewhat better. She stirs as the jacket rests over her "Book" Nicky only just catches his name on her mumbled lips. Of course, Booker had probably done this a thousand times over the decades, she had probably done it a thousand times back. "Dream well Andy" He whispers lets her dreaming self believe that maybe it was Booker if only that would help her sleep calmer. Nicky takes his leave quick and steadily out of the room. 

_ She knows it's Booker by the sound of her footsteps but she is honestly too cold to be bothered moving. Half curled in a ball on the couch in one of their Russian hideout homes. The pair having forgotten their earlier than Joe and Nicky who were still on their way. Booker comes up just in front of her she's sure of it, in a few moments she feels his jacket around her shoulder causing her to groan "Book?" she asks knowing anyway that it was him yet those were still the first words to mind as her eyes peak open to a blurry image of him. "Hey Andy" His hand covers over her shoulder, he steadies himself on the couch. "Long day?" he asks in a joking tone knowing quite the rushed few days they've been having. Andy offers him a smirk "Something like that" she replies with opening her eyes a little more the image of him starting to clear up with his scruffy beard and messy hair all over the place. "Come on, I'll help you to bed?" he offers pats her shoulder twice grabs at the fabric encouraging her to stand. She groans in response but goes willingly. _

_ Andy fells back on the mattress taking Booker down with her. They're both still tired beyond anything for more than some messy kisses yet they find too much comfort and warmth with each other to let go. Booker steadies himself onto the bed hovering above her. "I thought you were tired" he mutters between another kiss or two. Andy lets her hands soften from his hair pulling away to Booker's disappointed expression "Yeah I am" her voice is still different if not a little conflicting to their current situation. She pulls his shirt encouraging him closer for a kiss that isn't so messy and unfocused. He leans forward, closing any distance between just ends up with him having no balance at all that he topples to the side of her. The pair end in laughter "Book!" she tosses her hand at his shoulder in some joking attempt at a punch. "Shut up Andy" He slips his hand cupping her head bring their lips to meet.  _

_ Being tired seems to be forgotten between the pair, being cold isn't a problem either when Andy is a tiny furnace as well. Wrapped up in Booker's arms. He pulls the blankets up anyway up close around her hiding away the fact they're both naked together. Andy snuggles herself down under the large blankets close into his chest. "Fais de beaux rêves Andy" Booker offers gently kissing her temple. Her hands roll over his chest snuggling in under his chin.  _

Andy' stirred once more blinking her eyes back open to the door. The first thing she realized was that she'd fallen asleep, secondly, someone's jacket was on her. A quick look with clearer yes confirmed it was Nicky's. Andy dropped her head back onto the pillow letting her breath out. Feeling like a complete idiot for letting herself be so verbal in front of him. At least she trusted Nicky wouldn't mention it again, wouldn't act on it. She lolled her head back to the side her eyes found the bedside table, her fingers skimmed the edges looking for the light switch within the darkening room. In a second her fingers skimmed it flicking the light on. It burned straight into her eyes quickly Andy shut her eyes tight groaning at the bright light that filled the room around them. Andy left them close for a while longer her hand retreating back along with the bedside table when she felt the touches of paper. Her eyes shot open grabbing the paper across it read her name in Booker's messy hand. The realization causing her to sit up quickly. "Thanks, Nicky" she lets herself come back down more gently still resting her injured arm with care. She ripped the envelope open, throwing it onto the floor only interested in the contents. 

_ I won't break my word anymore boss. I really do promise you that. In 100 years, I'll teach you the French rules of football, you and me. Hitchhike out home and we'll just learn football. Nile can't be worst then me and I've had years of practice, don't worry about it she can't be worst than me, right? Put her on the Dinosaur. It is raining for the third day straight here. Probably going to keep raining for the rest of the week. _

Somehow even after how crap she is feeling his letter finds a way to warm her still. Just the fact he wouldn't break his word. Andy can't even explain what she feels to these words. Part of her is still caught up on his betrayal. The other wishes these words are all true. Another part knows he isn't going to lie to her, he wouldn't just lie like that. He hadn't lied to her in the first place, simply chosen a way of saying things that weren't the truth. She does long for these 100 years to be over already, the idea of them playing football somewhere in the middle of nowhere sounds far to nice to her right now. It would only last a day before they would have already argued every rule of it, accepted their fate that neither couldn't care less, got drunk, and ended up doing things they did well. 

Andy stretches across to open her bedside draw. Collecting her own paper and pen to reply to him. Andy ends up just lost in thought there looking at his letter and her blank one. Andy's arm still burned with fire, her nerves were still lightning up at every movement. The first words that find the paper are little more then  _ I got shot. Feels like absolute shit to still be in fucking pain from this. Still bleeding too like fuck, Wounds take too long to heal now I'm sick of it.  _

Andy stops for a moment taking a deep breath. She knew that she had parts to his letter to reply to, parts worth joking and teasing with him but right now there wasn't any part of her that could find the energy to do that. The words that would carry the tone needed.  _ I'm losing my way as a leader Booker. I don't know what I'm doing. The team is working but it isn't. Nile is fitting in but she isn't a replacement for you. The missions will be fine as the old days but every time I have to rethink a moment. I hate it. Then I do something reckless but you not there backing me up. Nile's good, responsive, and quick. Pretty witty. I just miss the team, Booker. I fucking miss the old world, this modern shit gets on my nerves too often. I don't know how to keep fighting like this.  _ The words just keep spilling forward, longer and more each time till she realizes how much she has written already to him. Realizes the fact her eyes have tears at the edges. She pulls her legs in and for once in far too long Andy doesn't know what the hell she is doing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fais de beaux rêves = French for Sweet Dreams/Dream Well
> 
> AH shit Andy just got shot! I mean bound to happen after years of immortality not having to really notice who shot you or how bad. So now Andy is stuck feeling a little shit. How do we think Booker's going to react to such a letter in reply? Had to throw in a little more Nicky and Nile. 
> 
> 3k words hit in this chapter too!


	8. A little more wine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What else was Booker to do but drink away his worries and pain?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the absence! Back with a new chapter, it is small at only 1k words I'm sorry but I'll start building it up more!

_ I'm losing my way as a leader Booker. I don't know what I'm doing. The team is working but it isn't. Nile is fitting in but she isn't a replacement for you. The missions will be fine as the old days but every time I have to rethink a moment. I hate it. Then I do something reckless but you not there backing me up. Nile's good, responsive, and quick. Pretty witty. I just miss the team, Booker. I fucking miss the old world, this modern shit gets on my nerves too often. I don't know how to keep fighting like this.  _

Booker's head was slumped on the table. Groaning his arm flinched across the table smacking into two of the empty wine bottles the crashed to the floor. Glass shattering echoed in the tiny apartment. His eyes blinked trying to focus on the world around but it was no good with the pounding pain in his skull. The raging storm of words was beating his skull. The moment those words of hers had sunk in he was a goner, he was completely broke and lost. He couldn't even remember what happened once he had finished reading her letter, it had become a blur by this point. Even more blurry then his current vision was.

Booker groaned pushing himself off the table but his arms failed him. His entire body let go the moment it was forced upon itself. He crumbled forward down on the table, slipping to the side onto the floor. His body smacked into the kitchen side with a bang. Knocking more things around. "Idiot. Andyyyy" he groaned out glancing his broken vision about looking for another wine bottle. "Why you gotta do me like this" he bit out throwing his arm out towards the only bottle in his vision. His fingers gripped it with weak drunken strength, dragging it along the floor towards him. 

His eyes brightened as the bottle reached his lips, rolling over onto his back and tipping the bottle to the sky. He tipped it forward with open lips waiting for to bless him. Except the seconds tick by and nothing comes out. Booker blinks his eyes back open. "Damn it! Why have I nothin ta be drun-drin- drinking" he mumbles with broken words that make little sense to anyone that would be listening to his rambles. "Damn it!" he yells again throwing the glass right across the room. The man pulls himself together (somehow) with support of the bench, the table and then the door. He doesn't glance at the letter again, left torn and alone on the table behind him as he escapes away.

Booker couldn't think past anything at this point. All that mattered at this point was getting flat out of drunk. He didn't want to remember a thing, he didn't want to think about a thing. Especially not Andy.

He stumbled down the pathway bumping between trees, the rails, the rubbish bins. Honestly, he was a hazard where he stumbled. Grumbling and groaning. Andy. You were always meant to be the leader Andy, you were our first. I never realized that meant that any of us would ever have to overtake you. 

"I miss it too Andy" he mumbled to the starts. He body slumped against the side of a building. "Modern world's shit, I wanna go home. I wanna go back to travelin" he mumbled his words changing between English and French. He forced himself forward with another step only to stumble into the dirt. 

"Sir! Are you alright?" a women came to his side clutching at his shirt. Booker's stomach left him, toppled out ahead of him onto the ground. "Sir? Can I take you to a doctor?" she asked. Why did her words feel familiar? Booker rose his head to try to find the face of this mysterious stranger

_ "Hey Book? you good man?" Andy asked him her face was just above his. Concern was clear in her eyes. He shifted his sore body "Yeahhh. Just had to keep you on your toes Andy" he snickered flashing her a cocky smile that spoke hidden meanings between them. "You are such an ass sometimes Booker. Don't do that" she retorted but the humour was there. It masked her worry with something playful for him to latch onto. _

_ Her hand took hold of his. He took her strength for a moment to hall himself up from the ground leaning into her side. "Fuck. What happened" he asked her as the pair got to their feet. "Explosion at the rear gate as we were leaving. Joe and Nicky had it sorted. They are continuing the mission" Andy explained. With each passing step, Booker found himself able to stand again. Felt his body recovering once more, if only it wasn't so damn slow all the time. "Ha, well grand. So what you had to come back rescue my sorry ass" he joked as she let him go. Let him walk firmly on his own feet. _

_ "I'm the leader Book. I have to come to save your sorry ass every time it gets fucked up" she bumped his shoulder with her fist. "Come on, you own me a drink for coming back to rescue you idiot" she played with a smile fresh on her face. _

_ "Yeah yeah, Andy" he laughed reaching for his gun left alone on the dirt ahead of them. "Oi! First, 'round on me boys", he looked past her to spy Nicky and Joe leaned against each other.  _

Tears pricked at his eyes. This women at his side weren't Andy here to save his ass once again. "Thank you" he managed to work out as the women helped him to his feet. She had dark short hair with a slight curl to it, dark makeup made her eyes seem deeper then they should've or maybe it was the drink playing tricks on his mind. His eyes focused in on the cold metal over her nose. Why did it feel familiar somehow to him? She can't have been.

"I can take you to a doctor?" she offered and he shook his head. "Nah" he stumbled away from her. How long had he been out here, his head felt lighter. "Imma just head home," he told her in false confidence but she let him leave anyway. Escape back to his apartment. Away from people, away from any more eyes. 

Well except stopping in to get more to drink. His apartment was now bone dry! he needed something to sit on if it was going to hide away from the world. A quick stop wouldn't hurt anyone.

" ** It's nice to finally meet you ** "

**Author's Note:**

> Would you like some follow ups of them meeting or writing letters or something? Please comment!


End file.
